Come together

‘Come Together’ is the action plan launched by the Royal Belgian Football
Association, Voetbal Vlaanderen, Football Francophone Amateur and Pro League to combat discrimination. It also includes a supervised visit to Kazerne Dossin as an alternative measure following a breach of the Association’s regulations.

Content

In cases involving discrimination on the football pitch or on the touchline, alternative
measures may be offered in addition to traditional penalties, such as a suspension or a fine.
To this end, the Belgian football community is collaborating with the Kazerne Dossin
Museum, the Royal Museum for Central Africa and BELvue.

During the museum visit, we explore group dynamics and mechanisms of exclusion, both in
society at large and in the specific context of football. The exhibition also features the life
stories of footballers who were deported from the Dossin Barracks. For (fans of) major
professional clubs, the guide will also look for potential points of reference such as the
wartime history of their own club or region.

Programme

An alternative measure may be offered to an individual, a family or a club.

For individuals and families

A learning programme comprises various components, spread over several weeks:

To begin with, Kazerne Dossin will create a comprehensive profile of the participant. To this end the participant has to complete an online questionnaire, which
will be discussed during a preparatory meeting. Information from the Federal Prosecutor’s Office is also taken into account.
A suitable guide will then be selected for the museum visit, who will prepare a
bespoke guided tour.
A visit to the museum is an in-depth reflective dialogue within the unique learning
environment of Kazerne Dossin, whereby the historical context and stories act as a
catalyst for behavioural change.
The visit is recorded in a written report. The participant completes a reflection based
assignment at home. The guide also writes a detailed report on how the visit
progressed. Kazerne Dossin then submits all the documentation to the Sports
Prosecutor’s Office, together with substantiated advice.
The Sports Prosecutor’s Office will then decide what type of action will be taken.
Additional sanctions are available if the measure is not complied with.

Under-age players must be accompanied by at least one parent or guardian throughout this
process. Other family members aged 9 and over are welcome to join.

For groups

Telephone call prior to the visit. A representative from the club will call a member of
staff at Kazerne Dossin. This will give us an insight into the incident and how the
delegation views it, and will enable us to choose the right guide.
Guided tour of the permanent exhibition of Kazerne Dossin. The guide will draw as
many parallels as possible with the world of football.
Follow-up discussion in a separate room during which impressions gained from the
visit will be shared and analysed. A link will be made to contemporary football and
how the club can combat mechanisms of exclusion.
Following the visit, Kazerne Dossin will issue a certificate of participation to the
Sports Prosecutor’s Office, with substantiated advice.
The Sports Prosecutor’s Office will then decide what type of action will be taken.
Additional sanctions are available if the measure is not complied with.

For whom and by whom?

Alternative measures may be offered by the Sports Prosecutor’s Office to various parties
involved in football, such as players, referees, coaches, supporters and clubs. Anyone who
poses a risk in terms of violence and/or is a known member of an identitarian network shall
be excluded from taking part.

The guides are experts in conducting challenging discussions and dealing with hate speech.
They will have received specialist training to tailor their guided tours to the world of football.
Before every museum visit, careful consideration is given to which guide would be the best
mentor.

Find out more about alternative measures in this video.

Practical information

Target group: players, referees, coaches, supporters, clubs
Language: Dutch, French, English
Duration of the museum visit: 2 hours for individuals and families, 3 hours for
groups
Number of participants of a guided group tour: maximum 20 people
Would you like further information about this project? Or were you offered an alternative
measure?

More information about Come Together